April 2002

Ornamental

Remove winter mulch from crowns of perennials and roses.

Divide perennials except for peonies and irises. Divide irises in July and August after bloom. Divide peonies in September.

Place stakes around plants that tend to flop. Plants will grow through the stakes. Small tomato cages available at garden centers work well.

Sign up for Home Lawn Self-Study written by University of Illinois horticulturists. Course covers all the bases of lawn care; seeding, sodding, watering, mowing, fertilization, weeds, grubs and lawn diseases. There is a charge of $10.00 for the 3 lesson course. For more information call 773-233-0476.

Come to the Garden Faire 2002 at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences at 3857 West 111th Street in Chicago on Saturday, April 20 8:30 am - 4 pm. A one day horticulture event with seminars and workshops on topics that includes roses, water gardens, lawn care, vegetables, beekeeping and much more. Advance registration required. Call 773-233-0476 for registration information. Fee to attend Faire is $25.00 which includes lunch.

In late April watch for pine sawfly larva on Mugo, Scotch and Red pines. Larva has a black head and a green body with light and dark stripes. Larva will rear their heads when disturbed.

Plant a pot of pansies and put them outside. Pansies are far from wimpy and can tolerate freezing temperatures and frost. If they are greenhouse grown, expose them to the cold a little more gradually.

Alyssum, verbena, calendula, celosia, coleus, dahlia, phlox and salvia can also be started from seed indoors.

Wait until after May 1 to fertilize the lawn.

Repair bare spots in the lawn. Work up the soil well in these areas incorporating some granular fertilizer, too. Sprinkle on a good seed mix of bluegrass and fescue. Rake lightly to mix seed with soil. Tamp to assure seed-soil contact. Mulch lightly with straw. Keep well watered for two weeks until all the seed has germinated.

Try these under used annuals in your flower garden. Flowering maple, Joseph's Coat, summer snapdragon, Boston daisy, Swan River daisy, Browallia, ornamental pepper, Dahlberg daisy, California poppy, Treasure flower, heliotrope, polka dot plant, Metampodium, Four O'Clock, Bells of Ireland, Cupflower, African daisy, Egyptian Star flower, Brazilian coleus, Texas sage, creeping zinnia, Fanflower, Persian shield, Mexican sunflower, and Wishbone flower.

Check upright junipers and red cedars for the brown galls of cedar-hawthorn/apple rust. They will be mingled with the leaves and resemble brown golf balls. Warm spring rains cause them to ooze orange gelatinous "horns" which spread spores to apple, crabapple and hawthorn. Remove these galls before they erupt to limit the spread of spores.

Celebrate Arbor Day on April 27 by planting a tree.

Learn how to make a mini-aquatic garden in a tub for your deck or patio.

Repot houseplants. Repot your houseplants when roots grow through the drainage holes, when the soil mass is filled with roots, when new leaves are smaller than usual or when the plant wilts between waterings.

Longer days and higher light intensity means indoor plants will begin growing faster. Start fertilizing again using a half strength solution every other watering. Prune hard now to stimulate new, bushier growth.

Edible

Collect soil samples for testing. Sample vegetable gardens, flower gardens, lawns and shrub beds separately. Each sample should consist of soil taken from 5 different spots within a particular area. Call 773-233-0476 for a soil testing booklet.

Try lettuce (Black-seeded Simpson) as a temporary living green mulch (make great salads). Plant around bulbs and perennials. Later in growing season dig into soil and apply mulch.

Sow seeds outdoors for the following crops: beets, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, mustard, onion sets, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radish, spinach and turnip.

Make your own tomato cages.

Cabbage plants can be transplanted in the garden.